Guy Johnston

Guy Johnston is one of the most exciting and versatile British cellists of his generation. He went on to achieve important early success through the ‘BBC Young Musician of the Year’ title, the Guilhermina Suggia Gift, the Shell London Symphony Orchestra Gerald MacDonald Award and he was a recipient of a ‘Classical Brit’ Award. He has performed with many leading international orchestras including the London Philharmonic, Philharmonia, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, Deutsches Symphonie Orchester and St. Petersburg Symphony, among many others. Guy’s mentors have included Steven Doane, Ralph Kirshbaum, Bernard Greenhouse, Steven Isserlis and David Waterman.

Recent seasons included performances with the Royal Northern Sinfonia, Britten Sinfonia, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, and RTÉ Symphony Orchestra, among others. Future plans include concertos with the Moscow Philharmonic, BBC National Orchestra of Wales and the Ulster Orchestra. As an enthusiastic chamber musician, Guy is a founding member of the Aronowitz Ensemble and is the founding Artistic Director of the Hatfield House Chamber Music Festival and performs chamber music at acclaimed festivals around the world.

As well as maintaining a busy performing career, Guy is dedicated to promoting music with young people and is a patron of several charities. He is also a Professor of Cello at the Royal Academy of Music. Guy’s debut recital CD with pianist Kathryn Stott, received much critical acclaim; the New York Times refers to “Mr. Johnston’s burnished and varied sound…”. Recent recordings include David Matthews’ ‘Dark Pastoral’ with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra and a recording of the rarely heard Moeran Cello Concerto with the Ulster Orchestra for Naxos has also received high-praise. Guy Johnston plays a 1714 David Tecchler cello.